Put down that Cheeseburger!

Trust me, that’s probably some of the best advice that you will ever get about university especially in regards to staying healthy. I wish somebody had told me that when I started university! But I understand where you are coming from. It can be seemingly difficult, if not impossible, to eat nutritious meals and snacks consistently every day. Plus with all of your many responsibilities it may be much easier and more convenient to just buy fast food. Well, as somebody who put on 25 pounds their first year of university, let me tell you, you will pay for that “convenience” later. To make matters worse you probably (like me) won’t realize that you have put on the weight until your clothes start to hug your body A LOT tighter or unless you are called out on it by your family and friends. If you are unlucky then you will realize it when you have to pass through an aisle of people at the movies or on the bus. That’s not fun! So now that we have identified the situation what can be done about it? The best advice I can give you guys in regards to your diet is: Everything in moderation and do the best you can. Having fast food once in a while is not the end of the world, just don’t make it a habit. Try your best to prepare nutritious meals ahead of time. I have found that the weekend is the best time for this. If you can prepare a cookup rice or sautéed vegetables and chicken or any other type of healthy food on Sunday you can put it in the fridge and have that for lunch for the first few days of the week. For snacks, nothing works as well as fruits, dried oats, and yogurt. Buy your favorites of each, wash the fruits and vegetables and you are good to go. Me personally, I always make sure that I have apples, oranges, grapes, watermelon, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, carrots, and celery stocked up. Of course, there are many other snacks that you can add to your repertoire and I would recommend that you mix it up, just so you don’t get bored. Some possible ideas are the goldfish crackers, almonds or other nuts, or cheese and crackers.

Hope this helps!